Do You Want It Now? - Martin Wiles

One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.” Judges 14:1-2 NLT

The virus taught us we can’t get everything now.

COVID-19 taught the world many things, but in America and other countries, we learned we couldn’t get some things we wanted—not just immediately, but at all. One comical thing that emerged was shaggy hairstyles. Men couldn’t go to barber shops. They weren’t open. If they didn’t know how to cut their own hair—or knew someone who could—they went without a haircut until officials lifted the restrictions and could once again see their barber. 

The same thing happened with ladies. No matter how much they wanted to visit their beautician to get their hair done, they couldn’t. And beauticians couldn’t fix hair at their homes without risking a stiff fine if caught. So, like men, many women went without getting their hair cut, styled, and colored. 

Perhaps the one thing Americans may have wanted immediately but couldn’t have was the chance to dine in at restaurants. We are a generation of “eater outers.” Governors closed restaurants to inside dining. Only drive-thrus and carry-outs were open. 

But wanting things immediately didn’t begin with COVID-19. I grew up long before the virus appeared and before people invented some of our present-day tech advancements. This didn’t keep me from wanting things immediately. Mom said money “burned a hole in my pocket.” When I decided I wanted something, I wanted it right then. But I couldn’t get things immediately or even within two to three days. I couldn’t order something from Wal-Mart (which wasn’t even around) and pick it up from the store the same day. Ordered things usually required waiting six to eight weeks. 

I’m not the only one with this want-it-now problem. I’ve known quite a few people who want what they want immediately. And if they have the money, they get it. I suppose Adam and Eve started the whole thing. They wanted what God told them not to eat, and they ate instantly when Satan offered it to them. 

Samson had the same problem. God set him apart to serve as one of Israel’s judges when everyone did what they considered right. Before taking that role, Samson showed his impatience. His immediate wants came in the form of women—in this case, a Philistine. A tribe God forbade the Israelites to intermarry with. Samson saw her and had to have her. Now. Although God worked through Samson’s misdeeds to accomplish his purpose for Samson—to conquer the Philistines—Samson’s want-it-now attitude often caused him problems. 

Samson struggled with patience, which I often struggle with. Patience might be a virtue, but it takes a lifetime to master it. I’ve discovered that aging, experience, and a lot of difficult times seem to help—none of which I particularly enjoy. Whether God sends the trials or merely allows them doesn’t really matter. The end result—patience—is the same if I respond properly. 

When we’re impatient, we make decisions without guidance, which generally leads us into trouble: debt, unhealthy relationships, and illegal activities. Seeking guidance from God and others takes time, but better experiences result.

A want-it-now attitude can be detrimental to us and others around us. But when we trust God for what we need in life and ask for his wisdom before making decisions, he’ll give us guidance that will ultimately teach us patience and give us a better life. 

Don’t let a want-it-now attitude destroy your happiness.

Father, help me trust you to give me what I need and to give it when I need it. 

Tweetable: What are you now willing to wait on? 

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No Lack - Martin Wiles

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1 NASB

I’ve often wanted.

For many years, I’ve wanted a Jeep Wrangler Sport. A two-door with a lift kit and wide tires. One where I can remove the doors if I want on hot summer days, and one I can take anywhere without having to worry about getting stuck. But I’ve never checked the price on one. For most of my working life, I couldn’t afford one. Even during the few times when I could have, buying one wouldn’t have been practical because of their limited space.

I have also wanted a large-size pickup. One with four-wheel drive, a lift kit, and large tires. One with a quad cab so I could take along friends when my wife and I travel. And a home in the mountains would also be nice. I’ve always wanted to live there.

Sometimes, my wants are not so extravagant. My wife and I have experienced seasons when all we wanted was to visit a nice restaurant and order anything we wanted. Not have to share.

I’m sure I could think of some other things I’ve wanted during my life’s journey that I haven’t gotten—either because common sense prevailed or because my income wouldn’t accommodate it.

The psalmist had been a shepherd and a king, but he experienced times when he wanted—yet he said he shouldn’t.

Most modern translations of the Bible change the word want so that it reflects the true meaning of the Hebrew word: not to lack. That doesn’t help because I have lacked things, and the Lord is my shepherd, too.

Perhaps, the problem lies in our definition of want and need. We often confuse them. A need is what we must have to survive physically and to do God’s will. A want comprises anything else. Keeping the definitions correct takes a lifetime of experience. And depending on where we live and what time of life we are in, the definitions might change again.

The psalmist did not lack anything that kept him alive or hindered him from doing God’s will because the Lord was his shepherd. When we allow God to take up residence in our lives, He becomes that same shepherd for us and gives us everything we need. Jesus later told His followers not to worry about tomorrow—or even the present day.

Our duty involves trusting God to give us exactly what we need each day of our lives. Easier said than done. I’ve traveled through periods when it didn’t appear God was keeping His word, but He was—from His perspective, which is often different from mine.

God never let David down, and He’ll never let us down either. He is the shepherd who will gently and adequately guide us down every life path, supplying all our needs in the process.

Trust God each day to supply what you need.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for giving us everything we need.

Tweetable: Are you trusting God for your needs? 

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Got It, Didn’t Want It - Martin Wiles

The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, “He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!” Matthew 11:19 NLT

“I want to go to big-boy school,” he said—but he really didn’t.

Our middle grandson—three at the time—thought he wanted to go to school. And he had mastered what we told him he had to before he could go: going to the potty. Now he was ready for summer to end and school to start. Until after the first day.

His visit to the room before enrolling went well. He played with the toys. I suppose he thought that was all he would do for the entire day. 

When the second day rolled around, his excitement had vanished. Instead of “I want to go to big-boy school,” he loudly proclaimed, “I don’t want to go to big-boy school.”

By the second day, he had figured out work was involved in this school thing. I dropped him off at his room and listened to him scream as I walked away. Although he soon quieted down, he was no more ready to go to school the following day than he had been the second day. He got what he wanted, but didn’t want it when he got it.

Jesus also faced a group of unsatisfied people. John the Baptist came along, living a minimalist lifestyle and preaching harshly, and they didn’t like him. Jesus followed with a party lifestyle, and they didn’t like Him either.

I suppose I could make a long list of things I thought I wanted, but things that didn’t satisfy me after I got them. Possessions and relationships might top the list. Like a child with a new toy, they satisfied only for the moment.

Learning satisfaction in all circumstances—which the apostle Paul said he had done—without destroying my initiative to be all I can for Christ isn’t the easiest task in the world. But it can be done.

When I believe God has a plan for me and is executing it, I can experience satisfaction—even though the plan may not look anything like the one I had imagined. At the same time, I’ll continue to take the initiative to move toward God’s goal for me with my best efforts, knowing I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. A delicate balance, but one Christ helps me maintain.

Don’t be satisfied with just anything. Be satisfied with what and whom God brings into your life.

Prayer: Father, help us to want only those things You want for us.

Tweetable: Do you want, only to be disappointed when you get? 

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Enough Is Enough - Martin Wiles

So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 1 Timothy 6:8 NLT

Enough is enough when focus is correct. When it’s not, it’s called discontent.

Every time I make an order from Amazon, I see the all-familiar words: “Customers who bought this item also bought…” Then I see the picture … or pictures.

When my wife and I updated (a word that’s all too common, meaning we did something we didn’t need to do) to a new smartphone, we didn’t stop with simply purchasing—or financing—the phone. The salesperson was more than happy to show us other gadgets customers normally purchase when they buy the phone. Such as a screen protector, an otter box, a holder for the back, a car charger. They even offered us a few bonus dollars so we could afford to purchase them.

Upgrade is the new 21st-century word for not enough. Paul disagreed. He lived in a time when people kept things until they broke. And if possible, they then repaired them and kept them a little longer. Coming from a man who once had wealth before he met Christ and decided to follow Him, Paul now said his contentment only depended on food and clothing.

Where Jesus stayed on a regular basis is anyone’s guess. He traveled about teaching, healing, and caring. He once said foxes have dens and birds have nests but that the Son of Man (Himself) had nowhere to lay His head. Yet, He had enough because He focused on doing God’s will.

Discontent comes when my enough is not enough. And my enough is never enough when I’m not focused on the right things. Jesus said the right things were loving God with my entire heart and others as myself. He did that, and so did Paul after meeting Christ on the Damascus Road.

Focus is the key. Rather than seeing the upgrades and longing for them, I must content myself with what God gives me. He promises to provide food, shelter, and clothing. I don’t have to worry about them. He normally gives much beyond that—or upgraded models of them.

The key is what we do with things. We can use them selfishly or selflessly. When we choose the latter, enough will be just what God gives us—along with the satisfaction of knowing we have used our things to advance God’s Kingdom by loving and serving others.

Let God’s enough be enough for you.

Prayer: Father, focus our attention on loving You and others so our enough will be enough.

Tweetable: Is God's enough enough for you?

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Throwback Tuesday - What Do You Need - Martin Wiles

What Do You Need? 

“Dad, I need a new pair of shoes.” As I scanned over the pair dangling on my son’s feet, I wondered how he could need a new pair so soon. I saw no holes in the cloth. His toes weren’t pricking the end, nor were his soles protruding through the rubber bottoms. “Why do you need a new pair?” I queried. “I just do,” he replied. As I probed and pointed out the sufficiency of his present shoes, he finally admitted: “Well, all my friends are wearing _________.” (You fill in the blank with the brand.) New shoes weren’t a need; they were a want. So I took the opportunity to explain the difference between a want and a need and also about peer pressure and the danger sometimes involved in following the crowd. Read more...

Tweetable: What do you need from God? 

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Having It All - Martin Wiles

The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. Psalm 84:11 NLT

I wanted it—and it wasn’t bad. Now, all I had to do was figure out a way to get it.

What it was depended on my age and life situation. One thing I wanted was a Jeep Wrangler Sport. One with a lift kit, huge tires, a removable top, a large engine, and a loud exhaust system. This want extended back to my teenage years. I’m now approaching sixty, still want it, but still don’t have it. Nothing sinful about this want, so I wonder why God hasn’t given it to me.  

Then came the dream of the farm. I had a friend and two grandfathers who farmed. Farming was in my blood. I watched them love the land, ride farm equipment, and work their own time schedule. So I looked into buying some land, hoping to put a few cows on it. The house and farm implements could come later. None of my dreams materialized. Nothing sinful about that desire. But at this stage in life, I know that dream has slipped away too.

I also never imagined I’d rent my entire life, but that, too, seems a reality. What’s wrong with dreaming of owning my own home? Yet, here I am, approaching retirement age, and still renting, after having lived in church-owned homes almost all my working career. Seems as if God has let me down again.

The psalmist says God won’t withhold anything good from those who do right. I’ve done right, but there’s a whole lot of good He’s withheld. Should I be mad? Should I question the truth of Scripture? Can I trust what God says?

Well, I’m not mad, and I don’t do any of those other things either. God never promises to supply my every want, just my needs. A Jeep, a farm, and a house are all wants. Good wants, but wants nevertheless. And God has always met every need I’ve ever had. Never have I lacked a place to stay, food to eat, or clothes to wear.

God also looks out for my permanent good, not what I may want at any given moment. He gives me what I need to do His will and accomplish His purposes.

God is good every day and all the time. Trust Him for the good you need, not for the good you might want.

Tweetable: Are you trying to have it all?

Prayer: Father, we trust that You know what’s best for us and will supply those needs.

Tell us how you distinguish between wants and needs. 

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Throwback Tuesday - Martin Wiles

“I Must” Versus “I Need”

My father-in-law and I tracked our prey, watching as they picked up various items and gently nestled them in their shopping carts. Periodically we’d amble off-leaving them alone, only to meander back a few minutes later and observe that their items had multiplied. Again-tired of watching, we left. Upon our second return, we were greeted by empty shopping carts. Everything discarded-but not necessarily in the place they were selected from (My wife calls this employee job security). Nevertheless, my mother-in-law and wife had successfully untangled the difficult distinction between the “I Musts” and the “I Needs.” Read more...

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